Client Story: Luba’s Victorious Transformation
When I was 14 years old, my parents got divorced and my mother sent me from Russia to live in Ukraine. I had to figure out an entirely new reality. It was difficult…I ended up without either of my parents, living with my aunt and grandmother, who were complete strangers to me at the time…I had never even met them. We didn’t get along very well, and my non-existent knowledge of the Ukrainian language wasn’t helping. Up until I was 18 years old, I lived in this family situation and it was hard for me. I was just another mouth to feed, another burden, someone who doesn’t work enough, doesn’t wake up early enough, isn’t grateful enough, isn’t good enough…
At age 18, I started living with my friend who introduced me to a man who eventually became my husband. In dating him, I thought I had found everything I wanted and needed. At last, a chance to move away from my relatives, begin my own life, and finally feel that I am loved by someone.
Unfortunately, no one had taught me how to build a healthy relationship with a spouse or how to build strong family relationships. So he and I began living together and not too long after, I found out I was pregnant!
After hearing the news, he brought me a reference to an abortion clinic. He was very against the child, but I decided to give birth.
Everything seemed to go downhill from there. He began treating me poorly, beating and abusing me, and when I gave birth, he started cheating.
I had nowhere to go…and since no one would welcome me at my grandmother’s house, especially with a kid, I endured everything and stayed with him. He would apologize and I’d forgive him each time, hoping for a better outcome next time. The cycle of abuse continued.
I acquired a friend named Angela.
We worked together and I found out that she was a Christian and goes to a Christian church. I became curious and would ask her to tell me more about church and how it differentiates from the Orthodox Church I was used to in Ukraine.
Every time we met, she would tell me something new about God, and it was eye opening. Just in sharing with me how she lived…this friendship really changed my life. After some time, Angela became a volunteer at Save a Life International’s Life Center in Zaporizhia. I celebrated this change with her.
I then got pregnant for the second time! However, this time, I was the one who was considering an abortion, because I was extremely mentally drained and in despair.
Thanks to Angela’s encouragement, I decided to seek help and become a client of the Zaporizhia Life Center. Because of the support of all the volunteers, I decided to give birth to my son!
I was studying and working. The Life Center helped me with everything I needed during that period since my boyfriend didn’t demonstrate any amount of care or concern for us.
He began to cheat on me and beat me again…and eventually took my passport, threatening me that he would find me anywhere if I ever tried to escape.
Around that time, I started going to church with Angela. I repented and was baptized! God completely changed the way I thought and lived. I’m grateful to God that through the Life Center, I came to Christ!
With the help of SALI’s network, I was able to escape my boyfriend and start a new life in the new city of Chernivtsi, Ukraine. They helped me every step of the way.
So much change has taken root in my life and in my heart. With my kids with me, we’re building relationships in the Chernivtsi community, I’ve been growing professional skills to support them, and I’ve been able to start healing.
God has begun putting life back into me, and now I have the emotional resources to give back at our Life Center in Chernivtsi and serve the women that were once in my situation.